Program

The realm of digital engagement practice is an ever-evolving landscape. New tools and technologies drive changes to methodology and approach, priorities for inclusive participation put greater emphasis reaching the hard to reach and organisational benchmarking and performance monitoring is becoming an essential facet of ensuring better service delivery for community.  

In this workshop we will explore how an engagement ecosystem can open up new opportunities for engagement practitioners and be used to build a better understanding of your community and their priorities. 

Learning Outcomes: 

• Be able to meaningfully identify an engagement ecosystem  
• Learn how to map engagement opportunities to relevant digital touchpoints 
• Identify opportunities for engagement benchmarks and always-on engagement 
• Leverage an engagement ecosystem for more inclusive participation. 

Presented by:

Mel Hagedorn | Director of Client Services, Granicus

Leanne Robb | Engagement Consultant, Granicus

Sam Liguori | Experience Group Market Lead, Granicus

Workshop Price: $60

As practitioners, we recognise that change, particularly that related to infrastructure, has a direct impact on our local communities. We echo the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and our focus is on championing participation in community decision-making.  To do this we consider the ‘Hardly Heard,’ individuals – often those who are most affected by poverty, age, cultural diversity, or those externally impacted by climate change, conflicts, and other challenges. By addressing barriers that include transportation, accessibility communication channels and language, we advocate for diverse, equitable communities, ensuring everyone shapes a prosperous future.

The presentation will explore one element of the hardly heard, which we believe is a common challenge for engagement practitioners. ‘How do we engage with the disengaged?’. During an interactive workshop session, we will explore:

• Who are the disengaged and why do we feel there is a greater proportion of disengaged community members?
• How can our engagement approaches overcome the challenge of disengagement?

Workshop Price: $60

Delve into an immersive workshop that emphasizes cultural sensitivity. Led by Sarah Wilcox, Palawa, Communications and Engagement Consultant, Cooee Communities, the cultural awareness workshop will include cultural engagement examples and provide a culturally safe space to share and explore experiences.

• Participative Cultural Awareness Session: Engage actively to heighten your cultural sensitivity.
• Group Exploration Activity: Navigate through hopes and apprehensions associated with cultural interactions.
• Principles of Cultural Engagement: Deep dive into essential guidelines, followed by an interactive Q&A.

Workshop Price: $60

This workshop will debunk myths and discuss evidence-based nuggets from the emerging and robust field of Positive Psychology.

Informing our community engagement practices on a multitude of levels, Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) enhance community resilience and readiness and support thriving practitioners, teams and organisations.

Learn more about the science of human, community and organisational flourishing, and take part in a future-focused discussion that will brainstorm the possibilities and synergies between the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) & the IAP2.

This workshop is led by Rachael Edginton, IAP2 trainer and Engagement Director of Sabio. Rachael has a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from Melbourne University and is passionate advocate of human thriving and wellbeing.

Workshop Price: $60

Did you know that over the last decade Australia has seen over $30 billion dollars worth of projects cancelled, delayed or mothballed where community opposition was significant?

Did you also know that infrastructure professionals rate stakeholder and community opposition as one of the leading causes of project delay?

Understanding the social risks right from the outset of a project, can be key to effective risk management and community engagement. But what are social risks and how can you and your team integrate social factors into risk management on major infrastructure projects?

Join the ANU Institute for Infrastructure in Society’s Director Professor Sara Bice and research team to hear about our latest research on the identification of social risk factors on major projects.

During this session, the team will present research findings on the maturation of social risk understandings in the Australian infrastructure sector and a beta version of our Social Risk Factors Checklist for major infrastructure. We invite participants to share their own professional insights as to how the findings of the research can be refined to reflect your experiences and immediately be applied in your work. Please bring along a project example and you will leave the session with a clear understanding of the topic, its relevance to your work, the latest leading research, and actionable tips for implementation.

Social risk management is a growing area of practice in major infrastructure, domestically and globally. Social risks can be identified, assessed, managed, and mitigated in ways similar to technical risks, when the right tools are applied, within an organisational culture that attends to social value and risks. Come to this workshop to find out what a comprehensive take on social risk factors can include and how this might be adapted to your work or organisation.

Workshop Price: $60

Community engagement has been described and categorised variously – as dialogic, relational, instrumental and episodic. Among these, Johnston & Lane (2018) describe how synergistic engagement combines both episodic and relational approaches. Drawing on the case study of AusNet’s Electricity Distribution Price Review (EDPR) 2026-31 engagement approach we describe how the program demonstrates both episodic and relational elements. This presentation will describe our approach to engagement, challenges encountered, and lessons learned. Insights will be of value to engagement professionals in the utilities sector, as well as those operating in regulated industries.

Dr Michaela Jackson | Engagement Specialist, AusNet & Honorary Principal Research Fellow, RMIT University, GIAP2

Lucy Holder | Customer Engagement Manager, AusNet, GIAP2

Venture into the world of artificial intelligence and its transformative potential in community engagement. In this session, we’ll examine the dual facets of AI – its inherent risks and remarkable benefits – when applied to community interaction. Gain insights into the ethical considerations, challenges, and opportunities presented by AI in community interaction.

Nicole Vaughan | Projects & Accounts Manager, Spatial Media

Prof Edward Santow | Director – Policy & Governance, Human Technology Institute

Anna Wilson | General Manager, Delos Delta

Natalie Dixon | Associate, Lower North and South Island Communications and Engagement Lead, Beca

Join us for a vital discussion on engaging communities in the face of fatigue and adversity. Explore trauma-informed approaches that prioritise empathy, emotional well-being, and discover resilient strategies for fostering a sense of unity in challenging times. This session equips you with the tools to engage with compassion and strength when it matters most, ensuring communities emerge stronger from adversity.

Collin Sivalingum | State Director, State Emergency Services Australian Red Cross

Robyn Mansfield | Associate Director, McGregor Coxall 

Mel Hagedorn | Director of Client Services, Granicus

Sioux Campbell | Director, Chameleon Public Relations Ltd

Alice Sherring | Group Executive,  Articulous and IAP2 Trainer

Wicked problems demand creative and collaborative solutions. This session will explore effective approaches for unraveling complex challenges that defy easy resolution. Gain practical strategies for problem-solving and decision-making in the face of ambiguity, learn from real-world examples of tackling the most daunting issues with innovative, strategic solutions.

Michael Reid | Director – Biosecurity Strategy Unit, Agriculture Victoria | Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

Nicole Hunter | Co-founder & Managing Director, MosaicLab

Trudie Parsons | Director – Communications & Engagement, RPS Australia Asia Pacific

Chris Norman | CEO, NRM Regions Queensland

Iain Walker | Executive Director, newDemocracy Foundation

Join your fellow engagers in session facilitated by Anne Pattillo, an IAP2 Australasia Honorary Fellow and international leader in stakeholder engagement. Together, we will explore an examination of the IAP2 spectrum from the perspective of IAP2 Australasia and discuss ways to reshape it for the future of the practice.

Anne Pattillo | Founder & Director, Pattillo

Featuring the fabulous Hamilton Band! Don’t forget your dancing shoes because this dynamic, high-energy ensemble will be sure to have you grooving on the dancefloor.

Boulevard Room, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

Join us for an enlightening session dedicated to improving engagement with First Nations communities. Explore the principles of culturally sensitive and respectful dialogue. Hear from experts who have successfully forged meaningful connections, fostering collaboration and understanding. Gain insights into the importance of acknowledging history, valuing indigenous perspectives, and building trust for more inclusive engagement.

Cathryn Eatock | Co-Chair, Indigenous Peoples’ Organisation-Australia

Parveen Sangha | Project Manager – Engagement, Ekistica

Courtney Webb | Indigenous Community Engagement Consultant, GHD

Mike Butler | Consultant, Urboriginal

Sarah Wilcox | Communications & Engagement Consultant, Cooee Communications

Defining the legacy of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games is a complex task, yet it presents a significant opportunity to drive transformative change. This panel discussion explores key themes encompassing inclusion, sports, health, environment, connectivity, and the economy. From fostering healthy spaces and sustainable transport to addressing various challenges, join us as we delve into actionable steps to leave a tangible, sustainable, and measurable impact on SEQ and beyond.

Arthur Stamatoudis | Executive Director – Advisory, RPS

Nicole Bennetts | State Manager – Queensland and Northern Territory, Planning Institute Australia

Join ANU I2S as we delve into our most recent data on social value, social inclusion and the deep fatigue settling in to so many of our intensively impacted communities. We’ll empower you with the latest evidence from the major infrastructure sector to paint a clear picture of how social value and social inclusion are being impacted by Australia’s Big Build, projects on which many of you are working. We’ll dig deep into our evidence base on consultation fatigue to offer insights and solutions. And we’ll open it all up for a discussion of what you’re thinking, feeling and seeing in the field to discuss together what we can do about it.

Sara Bice | Institute Director, ANU Institute for Infrastructure in Society (I2S)

Kirsty O’Connell | Industry Director, ANU Institute for Infrastructure in Society (I2S)

In this highly practical session you will gain an overview of AI tools relevant to engagement professionals. Through a live demonstration, you’ll see firsthand how AI-powered tools can revolutionise your role and dramatically enhance your effectiveness across a range of common tasks. Gain valuable insights and walk away equipped with actionable knowledge, ready to implement these tools immediately after the session. Bring your laptop and participate in a hands-on interactive experience.

Julian Moore | Consultant, Strategic Membership Solutions

This presentation will outline the challenges and opportunities of engaging with communities in a post cyclone environment, the methodology developed for this project and key findings and learnings. The presenters, Stella and Deb, are also keen to discuss with the audience opportunities to apply learnings, and methods for ensuring the goodwill established through this project will be continued as communities begin to recover.

Stella Morgan | Consultant Planner and Director, Sage Planning Hawke’s Bay Limited

Debra Stewart | Consultant Planner and Director, Sage Planning Hawke’s Bay Limited

Clare Bowditch | Australian musician, storyteller and educator